Malaysia searches for missing Rohingya after boat sinks, death toll rises to 21
Malaysian authorities are searching the Andaman Sea for dozens of missing Rohingya refugees after a boat carrying them sank near the Thai-Malaysian border last week, killing at least 21 people.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency confirmed that 12 bodies were recovered in Malaysia and nine in Thailand following the tragedy on Thursday. At least 13 survivors have been rescued so far, but dozens remain unaccounted for, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“Weather conditions are not so friendly, but we’re trying our level best,” said maritime chief Romli Mustafa, adding that some survivors may still be holding onto floating debris.
The victims are believed to be among hundreds of Rohingya who left Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar camps two weeks ago in hopes of reaching Malaysia. Authorities said the passengers were split between two vessels — one carrying about 70 people that sank near Langkawi, and another with 230 people that has gone missing.
The Rohingya, a Muslim minority long persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, continue to flee both escalating violence at home and worsening conditions in Bangladesh’s overcrowded refugee camps.
In recent weeks, multiple boats carrying Rohingya have left the region, said Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, which monitors such voyages. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that more than 5,100 Rohingya have attempted similar sea crossings this year, with nearly 600 reported dead or missing.
Malaysian police said those rescued are being held pending investigation for immigration violations, as Malaysia does not formally recognize refugee status.
“People are desperate,” said Naser Khan, a Rohingya refugee in Cox’s Bazar. “People are dying from fighting and hunger. Some think it’s better to die at sea than to die slowly here.”
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